CHRIST METAPHOR. I. Q THER Shepherds are gene– rally Hirelings; they keep other Men's Sheep, and not their own. I I. All other Shepherds are no more than Men, and generally poor, and of a mean Race or Ddcent. Ill. Other Shepherds may fail in Skill or Care, or may want Power to help and fave their Sheep from Danger, when the Lion or Wolf cometh. A S REP HER D. Book II.- D IS PAR IT Y. I. CHRIST's Sheep ar~ all his own by Creation; hts by free DonatiOn of the Father; his by Election : You have not chofen me, but I have chofen you, John xv. I 6. They are his by Purchafe or Redemption ; he bought them with the Price of his own Blood. 11. This Shepherd is the Son of God ; never was there fuch a Shepherd in the Church before, nor ever fhall arife after him : He thought it 110 Roqbery to be equal with God, Phi!. ii. 6. Ill. Chri!l is called the Wifdom of God, and' the Power of God, I Cor. i. 24. His Bowels, Covenant, and Faithfulnefs, will not fuffer him to forget or neglect his Flock. He is able to drive. away all the Beafis of Prey, with his Voice can make the fiercefi Lion tremble; he can make the Devils fly, and ref\rain the Wrath of Man, and .Powers of Darknefs, at his pleafure. IV. Others are Shepherds of a IV. Chrifl: is the great Shepherd of the Sheep. few Sheep, of a few particular He is called Great, H£b. xiii. 20. I Pet. v. 4· Flocks. r. In refpeCl: of his Perfon: 2. In refpect of ·his Power. 3· Great, in refpeCl: of the Flocks he bath the Charge and Care of. He is the univerfal Shepherd; it is falfc of the Pope, but true of Chrifl:. All the Sheep or Flocks that live, or ever lived, were and are his. 4· Great, in refpeet of the Pafiures he bath to accommodate his Sheep. The World is his, and the Fulnefs thereof. 5· Great, in refpeCt of the many infenor Shepherds that are under him, that mufi be accountable to him. V. Other Shepherds are but V. Chrifi is the Shepherd of Shepherds. The Sheep themfelves; nay, and 'if his, Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apofl:les themftlves, and they cannot have greater Dignity all Minifiers of the Gofpel, are Chrifi's Sheep, and conferred upon them. under his charge and keeping. VI. Other Shepherds may lofe VI. Chrifi will ·lofe none of his Sheep. He is their Sheep; they may be difeafed, able to cure all their Difeafes, and to keep them rot, aAd perifh, and they cannot from perifhing, Pfal. ciii. 3· ft.zy Sheep hear mJ !1elp them. f/oice, and they follow me, and theyjha!l neverperijh; neither can any Man pluck them qut ofmy Hand, JohiJ x. 28. ' I N F E R E N C E ~ ·I. JF Chriil: be the Shepherd of his Sheep, if he bath the Care and Charge of all the faithful People of God ; this informs us, that they fhall not, cannot be at any time without a Shepherd: forChrifi is not fhort-lived, or fubjetl: to Death, as other Shepherds are: He ever lives, &c. Heb. vii. 25. 2. Believers may fay with David, If Chrifl be their Shepherd, they jhall not lack, Pfal~ xxiii. 1. · 3· Let other Shepherds remember they are but Chrifi's Servants, Chrifi's Deputies, and mufi be account•ble to him, the chief Shepherd, when he appeareth. 4· We inay.infer fro!T\ hence, That the State and Condition of fuch Men is·fad, that -.yorry, and make a Spoil of the Righteous; they are Chrifi's Lambs they thus grievouf.! ly abufe, and make Slaughter of. 5· Follow this Shepherd in his DoCtrine, in his Example. . . . 6. Examine yourfelves, whether you be IllS Sheep, or no: HIS Sheep know hts Voice from the Voice of Strangers. See more under the Metaphor of Sheep. · 7· Take heed you do not firaggle from the Fold, and refufc the Guidance and Con~ duet of this Shepherd. · 8. Enquire where this Shepherd feeds his Flock, and where he makes them refl: at Noon, Cant. i. 7· ·CHRIST
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